


Static Love

by aroyalmess



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: A lot of them - Freeform, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Fluff and Angst, Lucretia thinks she's doing the right thing, M/M, Memory Alteration, Post-Episode: e041-049 The Eleventh Hour Parts 1-9, Taako experiences feelings, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-29
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23913661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroyalmess/pseuds/aroyalmess
Summary: Lucretia feels like Kravitz is distracting Taako from his job too much. So, she takes matters into her own hands.
Relationships: Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone)
Comments: 36
Kudos: 136





	1. Mandatory Action

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got the idea for this fic from this video [here](https://vm.tiktok.com/7S6uF3/)
> 
> I couldn't find much of anything about the Raven Queen and her reapers, so I just kinda made some stuff up. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Lucretia knew they were running out of time, and she was incredibly stressed out about it. The fact that Merle, Magnus, and Taako weren’t grasping the severity of the situation wasn’t helping, either. She knew it was mostly her fault, too. A direct result of erasing their memories. Still. It was exhausting.

Her mind whirled at what felt like a million miles an hour as she walked back to her office from Fisher’s chambers. Thankfully, it was fairly late, so not many people were milling around the moon base and bothering her with minor inconveniences.

She was so lost in her own thoughts she almost missed the sound of a rift being torn open around the corner. Almost.

Her grip on her white oak staff tightened, and she began to prepare a spell, her mind jumping to the worst conclusion.

Instead, she heard laughing.

She stopped preparing the spell, instead casting Arcane Eye to see what was going on.

Standing in the middle of the hallway was Taako and someone else. The other person, a half-elf, was holding a scythe and dressed in a rather nice black suit. A black cloak hung around Taako’s shoulders, seeming to glint if it caught the dim light in just the right way. It looked like it was made out of some sort of bird feathers.

Lucretia didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to realize that that was a reaper serving under the Raven Queen. But what did he want with Taako? The boys had mentioned meeting a reaper while in Lucas’s crystallized lab, but could this be the same one? Was he going to try and drag Taako back to the Raven Queen’s domain? Taako, though he acted dumb, was smarter than that. She had a few guesses as to what they had been doing out so late together, but she needed to know for certain whether or not she needed to jump around the corner, staff blazing.

“Alright, Bones, I’ll admit that the restaurant wasn’t _that_ bad. Next time, though, I’m going to cook for you. Trust me, kemosabe, it’ll blow your fuckin’ mind,” Taako promised with a grin.

The reaper chuckled, a fond smile appearing on his face. “If my mind isn’t blown, I’ll be severely disappointed.” He paused, pursing his lips. “When will I get to see you again?”

Taako thought about it for a moment, toying with the edge of the feathered cloak around his shoulders. “Tomorrow night?” He asked, trying and failing to hide the hopeful undertone in his voice.

“Don’t you have training tomorrow night?” The reaper questioned, furrowing his brow.

Taako waved a hand. “I’ll come up with some bullshit to get out of it. Training will keep those two chucklefucks out of the suite. Get ready for some one-on-one time with Taako, babe.” He winked.

The reaper started to protest, but Taako cut him off effectively by grapping the lapels of his suit jacket and pulling him in for a kiss. Lucretia felt awkward intruding on such a moment, but she didn’t want to risk dismissing the invisible eye just yet. Taako was vulnerable; a perfect opportunity to drag him off.

The reaper didn’t seem to even think of that. He responded to the sudden embrace enthusiastically, his scythe disappearing before he wrapped his arms around Taako’s waist.

When Taako finally broke away, he smoothed the lapels of his jacket back down. The reaper stooped down to pick up the hat that had been knocked off Taako’s head, dusting it off.

“I’m keeping this till tomorrow,” Taako declared with a sly grin, gesturing to the cloak wrapped around his shoulders. “Or maybe forever. Haven’t decided yet.”

“I’ll need it back eventually, love,” the reaper answered with a laugh. He pressed a kiss to Taako’s forehead, then returned his hat to his head. “Goodnight, Taako. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Taako’s face softened as he smiled at the reaper. Lucretia hadn’t seen him look like that since… well, she couldn’t remember. Sometime in the hundred years on the _Starblaster_. “6 o’clock sharp, or I’ll march to the Astral Plane and raise hell. Don’t underestimate me, Skeletor.”

The reaper laughed again and brushed a thumb against Taako’s cheek. Then, without another word, he summoned his scythe once more and tore open another rift. He cast a final glance back at Taako before he stepped through and disappeared. The rift closed behind him.

Taako lingered for a few moments afterward, the same soft smile on his face. Then he shook himself out of whatever daze he was in, turned on his heel, and disappeared around the corner at the opposite end of the hall.

Lucretia dismissed the invisible eye, and leaned against the wall. Taako hadn’t been reliable with any training since arriving on the moon base. In the past few months, it had gotten worse. Now she knew why.

It’s not that she wasn’t happy for Taako. She was. He deserved to have someone in his life that made him soften up and let his guard down. It was just terrible timing, that’s all. She needed Taako to be on top of his game. One wrong move during a mission, and it’s game over for Taako. And this time, it would be forever. No more redos.

She knew she needed to do something about this reaper. He was too much of a distraction. She had already taken so much from Taako, but she knew that if it came down to it, she might need to alter his memories even more. She really didn’t want to, but it might end up being a necessity. Hopefully she could find another solution. 

‘I’m doing it for his sake,’ Lucretia thought to herself as she entered her quarters. ‘For Lup’s sake. At least one of them needs to survive. Please let at least one of them survive.’

***

The Bureau had wards in place to help protect against the undead. The Raven Queen’s reapers must not be considered dead, judging by the ease he had coming and going. There’s no telling how often the reaper visited. It also seemed like he could think past the voidfish static. As far as she knew, Taako hadn’t secretly inoculated him, though she wouldn’t put it past him.

Her night was spent pacing restlessly, with a few attempts at fitful sleep, trying to figure out the best course of action. Very first thing the next morning, she headed to the library and gathered as many books as she could about the Raven Queen, along with a few spellbooks about wards and shields. She dragged the books back to her office with the intention to spend the day researching a way to strengthen the wards around the base to keep out the reapers.

It didn’t get her very far.

From what she could find, the reapers could be considered dead or alive. It seemed to be a topic of hot debate between different scholars. When someone died before it was their time, the Raven Queen would give them a choice; serve her while continuing to exist after a fashion, or pass on peacefully. They had been killed, yes, but were they _dead_? It all made Lucretia’s head spin.

Until she could find something more solid, the best she could do was strengthen the wards that already existed and hope that would be enough to keep out the reaper.

It seemed like she would have to go with Plan B. 

Lucretia glanced at the clock, sighed, and stood up. The boys should be in their final training session for the day by now. She grabbed her staff before leaving her office, holding her head high as she strode down the corridor.

Normally, she would have one or two people approach her as she walked through the hallways of the Bureau, but there must have been something in her face or her posture that warned people off today. Or maybe no one had stupid questions for her today. Either way, she didn’t care. Today, she was the one with the questions.

Upon arrival in the training gym, the flurry of activity stopped. Carey was on Magnus’s back, her arms wrapped around his neck in some sort of headlock. Noelle looked like she was about to swoop in for a sneak attack on Merle. Killian was sitting off to the side, swapping out her crossbow bolts for training ones (they had mini boxing gloves on the tips instead of regular arrowheads).

“Where’s Taako?” Lucretia asked.

Magnus shrugged to the best of his ability. “He said he wasn’t feeling well. Merle offered to heal him, but Taako said he would throw up on us if we tried to come into his room.”

Lucretia pursed her lips some. So he hadn’t been kidding the night before.

“Do you need to talk to him? We can totally break into his room. I can cast Zone of Truth on him to get some answers!” Merle suggested excitedly. Everyone else in the room groaned collectively.

“Thank you, Merle, but no. I believe him,” she lied easily. “I do have a question for you, though. Have you run into the reaper from Lucas Miller’s lab again recently?”

There were a few moments of silence before Noelle answered.

“He placed our bounties on hold for the time being. I certainly hope I don’t have to see him again anytime soon,” she said. Magnus and Merle nodded quickly in agreement.

That confirmed her suspicion. Taako had been hiding this relationship from, well, everyone. She couldn’t blame him. He liked his privacy.

Lucretia nodded. “Alright, then do any of you remember his name?”

Another moment of silence.

“The Grim Reaper?” Magnus half-answered, half-questioned.

“No, not his title, but his actual name,” Lucretia clarified, suppressing a sigh.

“Oh! It was Kyle, I think. Something like that.”

“No, it was Kayden, dumbass!” Merle interjected.

“I’m pretty sure he said it was Kyle!”

Carey jumped off Magnus’s back. “Wait, wasn’t it Kieran?”

It took all of Lucretia’s willpower to avoid putting her head in her hands. She should’ve known they wouldn’t remember—

“You’re all wrong!” Noelle said cheerfully, interrupting her train of thought. “It was Kravitz. Magnus made a stupid joke about his name being Lenny Kravitz.”

“Oh yeah, I did do that! He didn’t appreciate that,” Magnus chimed in.

“Are you one hundred percent sure it was Kravitz?” Lucretia asked. Her shoulders only relaxed after she’d been given a chorus of different confirmations. “Thank you. Continue with your training.”

She turned on her heel and walked out of the gym.

“Why do you think she needs to know?” She heard Magnus not-so-quietly whisper to the others.

“Who knows? Maybe she wants to recruit him or something,” Carey answered. “Everyone, back to starting positions!”

***

Taako sat at the vanity in his room, taking his sweet time getting ready. As he worked on doing his makeup, he also gave himself a bit of a pep talk.

“You’ll be fine,” he said firmly, jabbing a finger at his reflection. “The food will be fine. Glamour Springs wasn’t your fault. You won’t need to transmute anything tonight. Stop stressing out, dumbass. You’re just making a nice meal for your boyfriend.”

Even if the food somehow got poisoned, would it even affect Kravitz? Having a boyfriend who served the goddess of death was fucking weird. This sort of thing should come with a handbook or some shit. Taako was absolutely clueless when it came to certain aspects of his relationship with Kravitz.

He set down the brush in his hand and stared at his reflection, scrutinizing every little detail of his makeup. It had to be perfect. Tonight had to be perfect. Kravitz wouldn’t care either way, but Taako certainly would. He was starting to fall for Kravitz—hard. He refused to admit that to himself, though, let alone to the man in question. Every time he felt those feelings begin to surface before he was ready to process them like the adult he was, he mentally beat them back into their little box with a club. No one could know that he had _actual feelings_.

His gaze dropped to the cloak around his shoulders and a smile finds its way onto his lips. He drew it around himself more tightly. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable. At this point, he was seriously thinking about stealing it.

Satisfied with his makeup, he stood up and started looking for his favorite hat. He had planned tonight’s outfit around it.

In the process of doing so, he heard a tearing sound behind him. A moment later, a pair of cold arms snaked their way around his waist.

“Hello, love,” Kravitz murmured in his ear. A shiver ran down Taako’s back as a smile found its way onto his face. His heart skipped a beat, and his chest swelled with some sort of warm, mushy emotion. Gross.

“You’re early,” he answered, turning around in Kravitz’s arms to greet him with a quick kiss.

Kravitz shrugged. “That just means I get to spend more time with you.”

Taako snorted. “Cliché as fuck, Bones, that’s what you are. Now get out of my room, Taako’s still getting ready.”

His boyfriend laughed. “Whatever you say,” he answered simply before stealing another kiss.

Taako leaned into the kiss, lingering for a moment before pushing Kravitz away, toward the door with a shooing motion. Kravitz finally left, laughing softly the whole way out.

Once Kravitz was out the door, Taako slipped the cloak off. He changed out of the robes he had been wearing and into the outfit he had decided on a few hours prior; a dark purple vest worn over a see-through purple shirt, and a pair of black jeans. He was definitely putting too much effort into his outfit for dinner at home, but hey, he was nothing if not extra. He placed his favorite hat on his head, adjusting it to sit at just the right angle. He put the cloak back on, checking over his outfit in the mirror one last time. He hesitated before grabbing the umbrastaff, hooking it around his wrist. There. Much better.

Satisfied, he walked toward the door. A wave of cold air washed over him and he stumbled a little. He frowned as he straightened back up, glancing at the ground. His room was a bit of a mess, sure, but there hadn’t been anything on the ground. He shrugged, then walked out into the living room.

***

At the sound of Taako’s bedroom door opening, Kravitz looked up from the plant magazine he had found lying on the coffee table and started flipping through. He caught sight of Taako and smiled. He looked good. Really good. The fact that he was still wearing Kravitz’s cloak made his chest feel kinda funny. It suited him.

But then he caught Taako’s eye. He knew immediately that something was wrong. Taako was just staring at him, his eyes blank, like he was trying to remember something that was just barely out of reach.

“Taako? Are you alright, love?” Kravitz asked cautiously, standing up. He began to walk towards the elf, but stopped in his tracks when Taako raised the umbrastaff, leveling it at his chest. He laughed awkwardly, putting his hands up. “Is the umbrastaff acting up again?”

Part of Kravitz already knew the answer. On their first date (at least, he assumed it was their first date), when the umbrastaff acted up, he had sensed a strong necrotic presence. This time he didn’t sense any sort of arcane energy. At least, not yet. That could change very quickly depending on how the next few moments went.

“Taako?”

“Who the fuck are you and what are you doing in my apartment?” Taako demanded, keeping the umbrastaff leveled at him. He was doing his best to hide it with determination, but Kravitz could see the confusion in his eyes.

Kravitz didn’t need to breathe, but hearing those words knocked the breath right out of his lungs. He chuckled nervously again, shifting his weight some. “Okay, haha, very funny. The classic ‘pretend-not-to-recognize-my-boyfriend’ prank. You got me good.”

Taako’s grip on the umbrastaff tightened, his expression hardening. “Get the hell out of my apartment, or I swear to the gods, I will kill you.”

Something about the tone of voice he was using made Kravitz realize he wasn’t kidding. He’d left Taako alone for less than ten minutes, and suddenly, his boyfriend didn’t know who he was anymore.

“Taako… it’s me, Kravitz. We’re—”

“Hey, thug, I don’t know how you’re doing that voidfish static, but it isn’t funny and it’s not a joke. Now get the fuck out. You have thirty seconds before I light you the fuck up.” Taako cut in.

Kravitz didn’t have the time to fully process any that. He closed his eyes, and took a deep, unnecessary breath. Then he began to hum, drawing on the bardic power within him. He hadn’t used this form of magic in a long time.

It took a moment for the spell to take hold, especially with Taako fighting against it, but Kravitz won out. He had no idea how well this would work, but he had to try. He quickly ushered Taako back into his room and got him tucked into bed, murmuring to him the entire time.

“You fell asleep. You don’t remember my arrival, and you don’t remember what just happened out there,” he whispered, feeling like his heart was breaking with every word.

Taako’s eyes were a little glassy, and he didn’t seem to be having any sort of reaction to what he was saying.

Kravitz bit his lip, wondering if he should try and take his cloak. Ultimately, he decided against it. He could get a new one from the Raven Queen, if needed. He also wanted to leave at least a little something of himself with the elf he’d fallen in love with.

Propping the umbrastaff up against the nightstand, he took one last look at Taako. Then he summoned his scythe and cut open a rift. It vanished right as the spell duration ended.

Kravitz, now back in the astral plane, buried his face in his hands. His chest felt tight.

What did Taako mean by voidfish static? Why couldn’t he remember who Kravitz was?

_What the hell was going on?_

***

_‘Kravitz, reaper and bounty hunter in the Raven Queen’s retinue, and Taako’s boyfriend’_

Lucretia stared at the slip of paper in her hands for a few moments, gathering up the courage to actually give it to the baby voidfish. She knew that when everything eventually came to light, Taako would be furious. He was never going to forgive her for this. First his sister, and now his boyfriend. At least, she assumed Kravitz was Taako’s boyfriend. It made the most sense after what she had witnessed in the hallway, but she supposed it could be a no strings attached or friends-with-benefits type situation. That sounded like it might be Taako’s style.

Before she could change her mind, she dropped the paper into the tank.

The voidfish’s tendrils wrapped around the slip of paper, consuming it fairly quickly. Lucretia watched as its bell lights up a few times, then stops. With a heavy sigh, she placed a hand on the tank for a moment, then turned away.

It was done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taako's outfit is based off [this Taako art](https://www.pillowfort.social/posts/252936) I found by Ezrazzle on Pillowfort!
> 
> I was expecting this to be only one chapter, but it looks like it's probably going to be two. Possibly three. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Missing... Who?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taako knows that someone or something is missing... but what?

Taako woke up with the distinct feeling that he was forgetting something important.

He sat up, looking around his room. The last thing he remembered was getting ready for… something. He couldn’t remember what for, but he did have a killer headache. Maybe he’d had too much to drink? Trying to remember only made his head hurt more.

Upon climbing out of bed, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He’d apparently fallen asleep without taking off his makeup or changing into more comfortable clothes. That was odd. Even when drunk, he usually took off his makeup and changed before collapsing into bed. Apparently he had been more wasted than he realized.

He pulled the cloak off his shoulders and began to hang it next to his Cloak of the Manta Ray. He paused, frowning some at the article of clothing. Where had he gotten it? It certainly wasn’t anything he would buy for himself. Maybe he had mistaken it for his own when he left wherever he had been last night. Oh well. It was his now. It wasn’t _exactly_ his style, but he still looked damn good in it, thank you very much.

Once he was barefaced and in something more comfortable, he collapsed back into bed. He curled up beneath the mound of blankets, ready to sleep off the rest of this headache. He figured it would be easy to pass back out, but of course, life hated Taako, so nothing was ever easy.

For as long as he could remember, there had been a weight resting on his chest. Over the past ten years, he grew acclimated to it. It became part of him. He began to notice it less and less. Especially in more recent years. He’d been running ever since Glamour Springs, and still was. Every time he went out on a mission, the fear of being recognized hung over his head. Focusing on keeping himself alive distracted from that weight.

Right now, though, it felt like the weight was crushing him. It was more intense than it had been before. He curled in on himself, arms crossed over his chest as he held himself. How was it possible to feel so heavy yet so _hollow_?

The blankets on top of him were making it hard to draw in fresh air. He shoved the blankets off his face, blindly reaching for the stone of farspeech on his nightstand. Taako started to search for the right frequency, desperate to talk to—

His brain shorted out.

He couldn’t remember who he was going to call. It felt like there was someone he was supposed to call, but as far as he knew, there was no one to call. There never had been. He never let anyone see him when he was this vulnerable. He was _Taako from TV_. He didn’t do emotions.

Taako stared across the room at the black feathered cloak. There was something about it that tugged at his heart. He got the same feeling when he looked at the umbrastaff.

Without really thinking about it, he used Mage Hand to grab the cloak. He spread it over himself like a blanket, immediately relaxing. The scent clinging to the cloak was familiar. He couldn’t put his finger on why, but it was comforting.

In just a few moments, he was asleep.

***

“Taako!” Magnus’s voice yelled through his bedroom door, accompanied by loud knocking. “We have training in an hour. Carey said if you’re not there, she’ll have Killian drag you there by your long, pointy ears. Killian said she doesn’t care if you’re from TV, she’ll still do it.”

Taako groaned, shoving his face into his pillow. “If you break my fucking door, then I’ll magic missile your ass into next week and take over your room till you fix it.” He shouted back, his words muffled.

Somehow, Magnus understood. He just cheerfully shouted back, “Okay! Just make sure you’re there!” then bounded off to do whatever the hell he does in the mornings.

Gods, that man always had too much energy. Taako didn’t know how he did it.

Taako laid there for a few minutes longer, contemplating whether or not training was worth leaving his warm bed, Carey and Killian be damned. But he knew they would actually come and drag him to training, and his ears were too sensitive for that sort of manhandling. With a sigh, he rolled off his bed and onto the floor.

He lifted his head some, looking at the umbrastaff. “I don’t suppose that counts as being defeated? Because I sure as fuckin’ hell wouldn’t mind being vored right now.”

The umbrastaff didn’t answer.

He sighed again, then dragged himself to his feet. If he had to go to training, he might as well look good.

Sitting down at his vanity, he started to get himself ready for the day. The weight that had resettled on his chest the night before was still there. Taako did his best to ignore it, but it was difficult. Every time he caught a glimpse of the feathered cloak or the umbrastaff in the mirror, he felt that tug in his chest again. His heart ached. Something or someone in his life was missing.

He just wished he could remember who.

***

Lucretia still wasn’t sure if erasing Kravitz from everyone’s memory was the right move. She had been up all night again, turning the decision over in her mind. She tried to think of other solutions, as well, to see if it had even been necessary. She came up empty on that front.

She decided to sit in on their training that morning. She knew she was pushing them to their limits with all the training, but it was important for them to be pushed. They would be collecting the Animus Bell next, and Wonderland would push and stretch them to limits they didn’t even know they had. They needed to be ready. Plus, it would give her a chance to see how Taako was doing. If he even showed up.

When she arrived at the gym, she was surprised to see the session had already begun. She was even more surprised to see Taako was there. He was in the middle of a sparring match with Carey, though instead of using the umbrastaff, he had a rapier in his hand. Carey threw a quick salute to Lucretia, not breaking her pace at all. A moment later, Taako was disarmed.

“Morning, Director,” Carey greeted, stepping back from Taako. “Anything we can do for ya?”

Lucretia shook her head, making her way over to the spectator stands. “No, I just came to watch and see how the Reclaimers are progressing. Carry on as if I’m not here.”

Taako took the unexpected arrival as a chance to plop down onto the ground. He used Mage Hand to grab a towel and a water bottle, guzzling some of the water. “I’m dying,” he declared. “I’m definitely dying. This is the worst. I’m fucking _sweating_. Taako doesn’t do sweat.”

Carey rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to Taako. “C’mon, Taako, the less time you spend complaining, the faster it’ll be over.”

“If you’d come to training more often, it wouldn’t be this difficult for ya,” Merle pointed out, waddling over from where he had been practicing archery with Killian and Magnus. “It’s _normal_ for you to sweat. Get over it, you big baby.”

Taako shot a glare at Merle. “Shut up, old man.”

“You’re just mad that Merle’s in better shape than you,” Carey said, grabbing Taako by the collar of his shirt and hauling him to his feet. “Pick up your rapier, let’s get back to it.”

“Making a wizard fight without magic is like trying to tell Merle he can’t dirty talk every plant he sees,” Taako replied indignantly. “I don’t even know why learning to fight with a rapier even _matters_. I’m a baller wizard, I don’t need a fucking pointy stick to help me fuck shit up.”

“What would you do if you were in a situation where magic couldn’t help you?” Lucretia asked, smoothly inserting herself into the conversation. “What if you run out of spell slots, and you’re unable to continue fighting with magic? What happens then?”

“Uh, I fucking run away, that’s what. If magic isn’t the answer, then I’ll leave these two chucklefucks to deal with it,” Taako answered as if it were obvious, gesturing to Magnus and Merle. “They’d be fine without me. If not, then oh fucking well. We do Rites of Remembrance and move on.”

Lucretia shook her head, leaning forward some. “Running away isn’t an option if there isn’t anywhere for you to run. It’s important for the three of you to be trained in melee combat and learn to work together, because one day, you might not be able to run away. It’s best if all three of you learn to fight, learn to stick together. Staying with your team can be the difference between life and death. The three of you need to learn to depend on one another to keep each other alive. All of this training you’re being put through is to help prepare you for any possible situation. If we lose the three of you, that’s it. Game over. Everything we’ve worked toward will have been for naught.

“The situation is far more serious than any of you realize. There isn’t much time left. The path ahead of you is not going to be easy. We _need_ you to be ready for every possible outcome. The fate of the world is depending on you. Your friends here at the Bureau are depending on you. _I’m_ depending on you.”

The room is silent for a moment.

She hadn’t meant to go off on a tangent, but if that’s what it took to get Taako to take this seriously, then so be it.

“Fucking- fine, whatever. I’ll learn how to use the fucking rapier if it means protecting these idiots,” Taako grumbled, snatching the weapon back up from the ground. Turning his back to Lucretia, he faces Carey once more. “Well? Let’s go. Not only do I have a headache, but I’m also tired, sweaty, and want to get this shit over with.”

Lucretia sat back, watching as the training picked up once again. That last little outburst confirmed it. Taako was being more defensive than usual. There was always grumbling and groaning involved when it came to his physical training, but today he was considerably more snappy. But since he was actually here today, it looked like erasing Kravitz from his mind had been the right move to make. All she could do now was hope that if they ever get their memories back, Taako would be able to forgive her.

***

The next few months were hard. Taako threw himself into his training, surprising everyone around him. It was the only thing that distracted him from the empty feeling that took over his entire being. Well, training and magic lessons with Angus.

He could tell that Angus knew something was up. He was reaching out to Angus to schedule lessons more often, and even started inviting the boy over to their dorm after the lessons. Angus would sit at the counter, detailing his most recent detective missions, updates on the relics, and talking excitedly about his favorite detective novels while Taako moved through the kitchen, cooking and baking to keep himself busy. Thankfully, Angus said nothing about it.

There were a few times when Magnus would remind Taako that he was always willing to listen if he needed to talk. Taako simply brushed off his concerns, claiming that he was Taako from TV; he didn’t need to talk about anything. Magnus always replied with a smile and one more reminder that he was still there for him.

Then there was another time when Merle gave Taako a small pot with hydrangeas growing in it, and patted his hip without a word. Taako would never admit it, but he did everything he could to help those flowers grow. Something about the deep red color of the petals made him smile whenever he saw them.

Knowing they were there for him helped some, but it still wasn’t enough. The emptiness he felt stayed, no matter how hard he tried to fill it with the presence of Magnus, Merle, and Angus. Hell, he had even resorted to spending time in the voidfish’s chambers. The violin music that Johann was often playing helped him feel more at peace. Yet it was never enough.

When the Director informed them it was time to collect the next relic, Taako was kind of relieved. It could almost be considered a welcome distraction. Though his feelings on it being _welcome_ may change once they get thrown into the heat of things. For now, he was ready to face this challenge head on.

***

Taako had _not_ been ready to face this challenge head on. He had decided that after getting machinery dropped onto his legs. Now, as he sat in a cannonball headed back up to the moon base with Barry fucking Bluejeans in his pocket spa, he was even more convinced of that.

Magnus was now a fucking mannequin. Merle had lost an eye. Taako lost his beauty, and he hated everything. He knew that the challenge would be difficult, but he wasn’t ready for the literal suffering they would all have to endure.

Even with everything going on, his mind kept drifting back to the moment he was able to see into the Astral Plane. The image of a half-elf struggling to escape the swirling Astral Sea was burned into his mind. They had made eye contact for a split second before the half-elf was yanked back under the choppy waters. Taako’s heart had ached as he disappeared beneath the black oil, desperate to rush in for once. He didn’t know why, either. He had no idea who that guy was, and saving Magnus was far more important.

“Taako? Earth to Taako?” A voice called, yanking him from his thoughts. He blinked, looking at the wooden form of Magnus.

“What?” He snapped, though there was no venom in his voice.

Magnus’s faceless wooden head stared at him for a moment, seeming to study him. “Just making sure you’re still good on the plan. We don’t have any time to change it now.”

Taako nodded, his shoulder muscles tensing once more. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.”

Magnus placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’re going to get to the bottom of this. This is going to work.”

“It better. Because if it doesn’t… I don’t know what I’m going to do next.”

***

It felt like Taako’s head was splitting open. It was decidedly the worst feeling Taako had ever felt, which was saying a lot. He wanted it to stop.

And then Lucretia began speaking. Explaining herself, helping them sort out the memories that were rushing into their minds.

“…save for Lup,” Lucretia was saying. At the sound of her name, Taako’s head jerked up to look at her. “I’m so sorry, Taako, Barry. There was nothing I could do.”

And all at once, he _remembered_. How the fuck did he forget Lup, his twin sister? She burned brighter than any sun, making sure she left a lasting impression on anyone who she met. How could he ever forget her?

And then the more recent memories caught up to him. The memories of holding ice cold hands in his own; of birds flocking around them when Taako accidentally dropped a bag of bird seed; of soft violin music being played after he _begged_ to hear a song; of soft, cold lips against his; of the feathered cloak wrapped around his shoulders, and the scent that clung to it.

The memory of seeing a reaper struggle against the inky black Astral Sea taken over by the Hunger, with Taako unable to do anything except watch helplessly.

The memories of _Kravitz_.

His eyes met Lucretia’s and the full force of the realization hit him like a punch to the gut, leaving him winded. It was her doing. She was the one who made him forget his heart. She was the reason he had been left feeling so empty for so long. She took away the memories of two of the most important people in Taako’s life. The time for apologies and explanations was long past.

Without a second thought, Taako pulled out the umbrastaff and pointed it at Lucretia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was kind of a speedrun through a whole bunch of different things, and I know it's a bit messy, but I hope it flowed okay for the rest of you. 
> 
> Turns out it'll end up being three chapters! I'm planning on having the third chapter up a week from today, but maybe I'll get it done early. We'll see! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it!


	3. Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hunger has arrived, yet amidst all the chaos, Taako finds himself reunited with the people he loves most.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter follows Story and Song relatively closely, but I did make several edits! Mostly to adjust things to fit with the plot of this AU, but also because I didn't want y'all to feel like you were rereading something you've already heard. Dialogue has been added, taken out, and/or edited. 
> 
> Happy reading!

“Ten.”

Taako’s voice cracked on the one word, full of emotion. His chest still ached, but in a different way than before. Now that he knew what he was missing, it hurt far more. All at once, he had gotten his sister and his boyfriend back only to remember they were gone. He had stumbled across her skeleton and didn’t recognize his own fucking sister. Sure, she had been bones and dust, but their bond was stronger than that. He should have known.

And Kravitz… he had looked directly at him while he struggled against the Astral Sea, and did absolutely nothing to help. He hadn’t even _recognized_ him. All he had felt was a sense of longing and static in his mind.

“Nine.”

“Taako, I know you’re upset—” Lucretia began to say, but he cut her off.

“Eight.”

As he spoke, Magnus pulled out the Flaming Raging Poisoning Sword of Doom and pointed at it. Merle looked panicked by this sudden turn of events, but didn’t step in. He knew better than to get in the way of Taako’s rage and Magnus’s urge to protect.

Lucretia swallowed hard, trying again. “Listen—”

“Seven.”

“Please listen to me, _please_ —”

“ _Six_.”

Taako’s voice was growing harsher with every passing second, his grip on the umbrastaff tightening. He heard Magnus saying something, but his mind didn’t quite process it. He was too focused on Lucretia, who still hadn’t stopped channeling her spell.

“ _You fucking took everything from me_ ,” Taako shouted, his voice cracking again. “You took _every shred_ of happiness I had. And for what? _For what_?”

Lucretia had enough decency to look at least somewhat guilty. “I… you and Barry… you were hurting so much, I had to do something to relieve you of that pain. And Kravitz… I didn’t want to, Taako, but I _had_ to. You weren’t taking your training seriously. I needed—”

“Listen to yourself! You did all this because _you_ needed something. You did this all for yourself. You were upset we didn’t go with your barrier plan, and so you decided to fuck the rest of us over. What about what _we_ needed, Lucretia? We were a family, we were supposed to make this sort of decision _together_ , we were supposed to _trust_ each other!” He hadn’t realized he was crying until that moment. He angrily wiped at his cheeks, the umbrastaff shaking in his hand, but still pointed at Lucretia. “I was finally fucking starting to be _happy_ , but apparently Taako’s feelings don’t matter in whatever world you’ve got centered around yourself.

“I hope you’re happy. The end of the world is here, and you have all the relics. Go ahead and put up your damn barrier. I don’t care anymore. I have _nothing_ , and it’s all your fault. Let the end of the world come, because I don’t give a shit about whatever happens next.”

Taako felt a hand on his shoulder, and his shoulders slumped, the umbrastaff dropping to point at the floor. He didn’t need to look to know that Barry was standing at his side, silently offering his support and what little comfort he could give.

He was aware that the others were talking. Magnus was defending him, and then he heard Davenport asking about the Starblaster, and Angus begging them to not go, but he wasn’t fully processing the words. His entire world had just been shattered.

Lup was gone. Kravitz was gone. It felt like someone had ripped both his heart and his soul from his body.

And then the room exploded.

***

The Hunger was here.

Lup didn’t need to be outside the umbrastaff to know that. She could feel Taako’s panic, his pain. All she wanted was to get to him and wrap him in her arms. She wanted to scream, to get his attention, to let him know she was _alive_. But her prison wasn’t cooperating with her.

She could hear Lucretia, trying to explain herself. She could hear the pain in Taako’s voice, and could feel her heart ache in her chest. He sounded more broken than she had ever heard before. She _had_ to get out.

The black curtains were already pooled on the ground around her feet. She had torn those down during their adventure through Wonderland. She pounded and clawed at the walls, screaming at the top of her lungs. There had to be _something_ she could do. Now that he had his memory back, maybe she could get his attention by—

Before she could finish that train of thought, she felt Taako get thrown across the room, the umbrastaff flying out of his grip. A moment later, she felt an unfamiliar hand pick the staff back up. She prepared to zap whoever it was, but stopped abruptly upon hearing the voice of that kid— Angus, if she recalled correctly —Taako had been teaching.

“Is this okay, sir?” Angus asked, sounding panicked.

Lup didn’t need to hear Taako’s response. She already knew _exactly_ what to do. Angus began channeling magic for a spell through the staff, but she had other plans. Using what power she could spare, combined with what Angus was channeling, she poured everything she had into casting a Fireball, praying it would be enough.

Distantly, she heard Taako’s surprised “holy shit!” and smirked to herself. It must’ve been more than enough. She heard Angus, too, terrified and trying to explain that _he hadn’t been the one to cast that spell_.

For a moment, she felt weightless as the umbrastaff flew through the air. Then she felt Taako’s grip again. She didn’t have a chance to hope he had figured it out. After only slight hesitation from Taako, she was free.

And she celebrated that freedom by unleashing the full extent of her power.

Lup laughed gleefully as she exploded from the umbrastaff, small fireworks exploding as she sent a column of flame racing up the tendril in the center of the room. She wove the magic expertly around her friends, around her _family_ , eradicating the Hunger from this room.

Her hands were still aflame as the rest of the fire died down. She whirled around to face Taako, her heart soaring in her chest as she looked at her brother properly for the first time in twelve years. There was so much she wanted to say and so many things she wanted to address. She decided to address the most important thing first.

“ _You’re dating the Grim Reaper?_ ”

***

From the moment Angus cast that Fireball, Taako knew exactly what he needed to do. For a split second, he was worried he was wrong.

And then there she was.

He couldn’t help but laugh a little at her statement, tears gathering in his eyes. She had been with him all along, protecting him to the best of her ability.

“You could probably tell, but I knew the whole time. I just didn’t want to break your cool staff ‘cause I knew you’d be mad,” Taako said, doing his best to play down his emotions, even though all he wanted right in that moment was to wrap her incorporeal form in the biggest hug he could.

Lup laughed, and he could tell she was smiling at him. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually.”

“Oh, no, I knew, I mean I knew. For sure I knew.”

“Well, why didn’t you let me out sooner, dingus?”

“Well, I didn’t remember you existed, goofus.”

Then Barry joined the conversation, and Taako zoned out after he started talked about blowing himself up. His mind was whirling with possibilities. If Lup was alive, against all odds, then maybe Kravitz was, too.

He pulled out his Stone of Farspeech, attempting to reach Kravitz, now that he finally had a moment to try.

No luck.

Just as he slid his Stone back into his pocket, Davenport beckoned him, Magnus, and Merle over. He still wasn’t paying much attention, barely aware that Magnus refusing to do something or other involving the two voidfish, but he did notice that Lucretia was gone now.

Taako started to follow Merle and Magnus toward the main door once Davenport dismissed them, his mind still trying to formulate a plan to attempt to reach Kravitz, but Barry stopped them before they could get too far.

“Oh, um, I think if we’re gonna do this thing, we may as well make sure we’ve got every advantage we could possibly get.” He pulled out his wand, drawing a horizontal line in the air. A moment later, a chest clunked to the ground. Inside was Taako’s KrEbStAr; Merle’s magic stick, Gilley; and Magnus’s 2TH necklace and Bear Face.

By the time Barry reequipped the Tres Horny Boys with their items, the debris in front of the main doors had been cleared away. Walking outside showed just how widespread the destruction truly was.

Large tendrils were shooting down from the sky and hoards of shadowing beings were marching through the cities, desperately searching for the Light of Creation, destroying everything in their path.

Taako was still trying to process everything going on when Barry exclaimed, “Oh my gods.” He pointed toward what he was seeing, and Taako felt a fresh wave of panic wash over him upon seeing the Judges arrive. “Court’s in session.”

Lup, however, had other things on her mind; she was peering down at Phandalin. She looked back up at them with a smile.

“I’ve got a cunning plan.”

***

Lup’s plan would’ve sounded crazy if she had pitched it to anyone except her brother. Transmuting a circle of glass half a mile wide into sapphire is no easy task, but Taako was more than willing to try. He was willing to do anything if it meant he could save Kravitz.

It made sense that the Hunger cut off access to the planes. It would explain why Kravitz hadn’t attempted to contact Taako. Well, that and the fact that the last time they had been face to face, Taako had been threatening him.

Now that he remembered, though, he was determined to get his boyfriend back. They had a lot of lost time to makeup for.

Kneeling at the edge of the black glass, Taako placed his hands on the cool surface and channeled everything he had, both magical and emotional, into the transmutation spell. Blue sapphire spread out in front of him, and just as soon as he started to get his hopes up, it retracted back to him.

“Fuck,” he mumbled, brushing some loose hair back into place.

He became aware of tendrils crashing down around them, but Lup and Barry would have that handled. He was pretty sure Lup was yelling encouraging words his way, but he was too focused on the daunting task he needed to fulfill to really tell.

Taako placed his hands back on the glass and took a deep breath, then attempted to cast the spell again. Almost immediately, he knew it wasn’t nearly as strong as the first attempt had been, and now he was feeling more drained than ever. “Fuck!”

Before he could attempt again, he heard Barry cry out. He grabbed the KrEbStAr, whirling around just in time to see Lup and Barry getting overrun. He began to channel what little magical energy he still had left into a spell to help out, but something else beat him to it.

For once, Taako was actually grateful to see Lucas Miller and his damn elevator. He waved to Taako, then joined the fight.

As he turned back to the circle of glass, he felt something bounce off his foot. Upon seeing the small, golden lock on the ground, Taako knew exactly what he needed to do.

***

Kravitz hadn’t felt so alone in thousands of years. His Queen had always answered his every call, and now he couldn’t reach her at all. He had resorted to trying to call Taako, but he couldn’t get a signal.

So, he stayed kneeling in the Eternal Stockade, ignoring the taunts of the spirits around him. A large number of them had been thrown in here by Kravitz himself, and he knew they would do anything they could to tear him down even more. He refused to let himself show any sign of weakness.

And then the light came and told him what had to be the wildest story he had ever heard—and he’d heard _a lot_ of wild stories. The craziest part, though? He believed it. It explained so many things.

Suddenly, another light surrounded him. This light was bright white, with a warm and familiar feeling. It wrapped itself around him like a warm embrace. When it cleared again, he was kneeling on a circle of black glass. The remains of Phandalin, if he remembered correctly. He stood slowly, hardly able to believe it. Power flooded through him, and he could tell his connection to the Raven Queen had been restored.

He wasn’t focused on that, though. Kravitz was focused on the familiar figure practically sprinting toward him. He barely had time to brace himself before Taako was on him, his arms thrown around his neck, clinging to him so tightly, Kravitz was glad he didn’t need to breathe.

And then they were kissing. Taako’s lips and breath were warm against Kravitz’s cold skin, but they didn’t stay for nearly long enough. The moment they broke apart, words were tumbling out of Taako’s mouth.

“Gods, Krav, there’s so much—I’m so sorry, I’m so, so sorry I forgot who you were, I didn’t—all I could feel and think was static when I looked at you—it wasn’t my fault, Lucy thought you were too much of a distraction—I _knew_ I was missing someone I loved, but when I tried to remember, all I got was static—I _threatened_ you, gods, I’m _so sorry_ —"

Kravitz’s chest swelled with warmth and love at Taako’s admission of love. It was likely Taako hadn’t even fully realized what he said.

He laughed softly, cutting Taako off with another gentle, quick kiss. “It’s okay, darling, we’re here now. I still don’t even know _how_ you managed to do that, but you did.”

A smirk appeared on Taako’s face. “Long story short, I was rad, natch.” He took Kravitz’s face in his hands, brushing his thumbs over his cheeks. “The real question is how do you look so good? You were stuck in, like, tar or mud or something, yet you still look fantastic!”

He chuckled again, pressing his forehead against Taako’s. “It’s a lot of work to look this good,” he paused for a moment, then continued. “I… I’m just so happy you’re still here. I couldn’t get ahold of anyone, not even the Raven Queen. I was so worried that you were gone, that everything was gone.”

Taako seemed to hesitate for a moment before sighing. “Well, you’re not that far off. There has been a terrible loss.”

Kravitz stared for a moment in confusion, but then Taako dropped what must’ve been a glamour. The shine in his hair dulled, his lips weren’t as full, and his teeth a bit crooked. The spark in his eyes dimmed, and his skin looked paler and drier than usual. The effortless elven grace and beauty was gone, leaving Taako with the looks of a normal person. But Kravitz still saw the most beautiful elf in the world.

“I just wanted to be honest. I’m—I didn’t want to catfish you or anything. This is Taako today,” Taako explained, looking and sounding more nervous than Kravitz had ever seen him. “I had a bad run in while I was saving the world again, and… well, this is what I really look like now. And I, um, just wanted to let you know in case it changes anything for you, personally. I just thought you should know, now.”

Kravitz smiled softly, cupping Taako’s face in his hands. “Taako, I was crazy about you before you had me erased from your memory, and even that didn’t change anything on my end. I was crazy about you then, and I still am now. Even after hearing about your hundred-year journey from some weird light,” he took a deep breath, even though he didn’t need to, and pressed on. “I love you, Taako, and at this point, I don’t think anything is ever going to change that. I’m here for as long as you’ll have me.”

There was a moment of hesitation, and then, “That was actually a test, your face is a skull half the time, so I just wanted to make sure we—yeah, no fucking kidding,” he said, and Kravitz laughed again. “Okay, anyway.”

Even as he blew off Kravitz’s words, he could see the tension leave Taako’s form. If Taako was back to being able to joke around, everything would be just fine.

An explosion drew their attention away from each other, and they both turned to look at where three figures Kravitz hadn’t noticed were fighting a vicious battle. And then they noticed the towering figure a few steps away from crushing their party underfoot. How it had managed to sneak up on them, Kravitz wasn’t sure.

“Uh, Taako,” A red-robed lich, Lup, he assumed, called to them. “I don’t know how to kill that!”

Kravitz stepped forward, standing in front of Taako. “I think I know a few folks who can help out with that. Those souls I’ve been imprisoning? I think they deserve some time off for good behavior.”

He hummed a quick, quiet tune, and a large, silvery hand emerged from the sapphire portal Taako had created. It immediately attacked the towering shadowy figure, sending both itself and the figure soaring backward.

“I need to keep an eye on them, but Taako,” Kravitz looked at him again, his gaze soft. “It’s so fucking good to see you again.”

***

“Hey, everybody! Johann was right! _We won!_ ” Angus’s voice rang out over the crowds of celebrating people.

Taako felt the adrenaline rush draining out of him, leaving him more exhausted than he had ever been before. He stayed with everyone to celebrate, though. He didn’t want to let Lup out of his sight, scared that she would disappear again if he left her alone for too long. He stuck close to her and Barry, who also didn’t seem to want to let Lup out of his sight. Since they weren’t able to physically touch Lup, they clung to each other instead.

He didn’t bother looking around for Kravitz; he knew his boyfriend would be rounding up the souls he had released to get them back where they belong, as well as guiding those who had lost their lives in the battle to the other side.

Eventually, the IPRE crew moved their celebrations back to the moon base. All seven of them, plus Angus, headed straight to his, Magnus, and Merle’s dorm room. They dragged their mattresses out of their rooms, arranging them on the floor alongside the couch cushions, then proceeded to pile all the pillows and blankets they could find onto the mattresses and couch cushions. Soon enough, they had a nest large enough for all of them. They all promptly collapsed into it, curling up with each other without another word, just like old times. Lucretia seemed to be more hesitant, but Magnus pulled her into it, ignoring the noises of protests she made. They were still a family, after all. Taako couldn’t find it in himself to be angry right now; that was something he could deal with later.

Angus settled against Taako’s side, and fell asleep almost instantly. Lup floated over them, keeping an eye on everyone like some sort of fiery guardian angel. Taako tried to stay awake to talk with her and spend time catching up, but the urge to sleep won.

The sound of a rift being torn open woke him up a few hours later. Luckily, everyone else stayed asleep, but he and Lup were alert immediately. Kravitz stepped through, hands held up in surrender.

“I’m not here to reap any souls,” he said quietly, glancing at Lup before his gaze settled on Taako. “The Raven Queen dismissed me for the night, and… I just wanted to make sure you were doing okay.”

A smile appeared on Taako’s face, ignoring Lup’s exaggerated gagging motions. “I’ll be doing much better once you get in on this cuddle-time action, Bones.”

Kravitz looked hesitant. “Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on—”

His protest was cut short when a red, skeletal Bigby’s Hand appeared, pushing Kravitz closer to Taako. Taako grinned and grabbed his hand when he was close enough, pulling him down into the blanket nest, doing his best to avoid disturbing Angus and Barry, who was curled up on the other side of Taako. With just a few movements, they were situated comfortably. Kravitz was ice cold, but Taako couldn’t bring himself to care. There was enough warmth radiating from everyone else around them, he wasn’t too worried about it.

Taako cast Lup a grateful look. She just dabbed in response, making both him and Kravitz laugh softly. Sometimes, his sister could be a pretty decent wingwoman.

“I know you said we needed to talk, but we’ll talk later. Right now, Taako needs to sleep for, like, a fuckin’ month,” he murmured to Kravitz, already starting to doze off again. “So, just keep holding me and we’ll talk when I wake up.”

Kravitz brushed a few strands of hair back behind Taako’s ear, then pressed a kiss to his forehead. “We can definitely talk later. Get some rest. You deserve it, love.”

“Hell yeah I fuckin’ deserve it,” Taako mumbled. “I just saved the entire fuckin’ planar system.”

Kravitz just smiled, pressing another gentle kiss to his forehead. Taako barely registered it. He was already asleep again.

He had his sister back (sort of), and he had his boyfriend back. For Taako, that meant things were pretty damn perfect right now. All he could do now was hope and pray to Istus that it stayed that way for a long time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for posting a day late, but heyyyy gotta love that sweet, sweet procrastination. 
> 
> Thank you so much for taking the time to read this story. I'm pretty happy with how everything worked out, and I hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> I've got some ideas for more taakitz aus and one shots in the works, so hopefully I'll get something new up soon. 
> 
> Come talk to me on [Twitter (@lupsnleias)](https://twitter.com/lupsnleias) and on [Tumblr (@lups-and-leias)](https://lups-and-leias.tumblr.com/)!


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